RAF Air Cadets - Nottingham Airport, Tollerton - School Year 8 and Older - South Notts Catchment Area

Cadets Blog

Cadet In Typhoon

No, not a weather-related story but with recent events you may be forgiven for thinking that! Earlier this year one of our cadets, Cadet Corporal Harby, had the privilege of carrying out work experience at RAF Coningsby, in the Eurofighter Typhoon Maintenance Flight.

The week started by signing the Official Secrets Act due to the potentially sensitive nature of the work he would be carrying out on some of the 10-12 Typhoon aircraft that were at various stages of maintenance, depending on their flying hours.

Tasks were varied and included stripping off very expensive aircraft panels, testing aircraft hydraulics, chaff and flare dispensers, checking the aircraft Black Box and making sure the avionics (aviation related electronics) were operational.

Coincidentally the station is the also the home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) and another highlight was the tour of that facility and talking to the engineers. He said “It was a fantastic experience going around the hanger in which they were being maintained, as it meant I could get up close and personal with the famous and historic aircraft.”

Another visit was to the Pilot training facility where pilots could be put through all sorts of simulated scenarios, like high G-Forces, poor weather, engine malfunctions, etc. Corporal Harby also met weapons technicians and Military Transport (MT) personnel.

The whole week was a fantastic experience for the Corporal who said “The week I spent at RAF Coningsby was a fantastic experience, and I didn’t expect to have the responsibility I was given, working on such massively technical and expensive aircraft.”